


Mask of mystery

by HagCraft



Series: Dream Smp Angst [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angry Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Angry TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Clay | Dream & Technoblade Friendship (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Countries, Deity Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Dream Team SMP Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Dreamon, Dysfunctional Family, Enemies to Friends, Fights, Found Family, Friends to Enemies, Gen, God Complex, Good Friend Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Heavy Angst, Hurt Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Immortals, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Insane Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Insanity, Insecure Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Masks, Necromancy, Pain, Personal Growth, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prisoner Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Psychological Trauma, Self-Doubt, Self-Hatred, Self-Sacrifice, Soldiers, Sympathetic Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Trauma, Villain GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Villain Karl Jacobs, Villain Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Villain Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Villains, Villains to Heroes, War, changes, dream team, graves, sbi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:07:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29542110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HagCraft/pseuds/HagCraft
Summary: Dream is the well-known bad guy of the server, but no one knows anything else about him. No one knows his connection with being an admin. But that is understandable, since the godforsaken mask hides the truth from spilling. The mask that has laid upon Dream's face for eternities. Once it was removed, the Dream SMP learnabout the dreamon that still lurks within the overwhelmed man. The creature must be stopped before it takes their past friend to extreme lengths. However, Dream wants to give up this battle, he has no energy to keep fighting. Could they stop it before Dream willingly submits?OR:A tired man hoping to finally be at peace, who is stopped by his 'enemies' that finally learn the truth behind his actions.:)
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & GeorgeNotFound & Karl Jacobs & Sapnap, Antfrost & Cara | CaptainPuffy, Antfrost & Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Darryl Noveschosch & Sapnap, Antfrost & Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Antfrost & GeorgeNotFound & Darryl Noveschosch & Sapnap, Cara | CaptainPuffy & Clay | Dream, Cara | CaptainPuffy & Clay | Dream & Luke | Punz & Niki | Nihachu & Sam | Awesamdude, Cara | CaptainPuffy & Niki | Nihachu, Cara | CaptainPuffy & Sam | Awesamdude & TommyInnit, Clay | Dream & Darryl Noveschosch, Clay | Dream & Dream SMP Ensemble, Clay | Dream & Floris | Fundy, Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Jack Manifold, Clay | Dream & Karl Jacobs, Clay | Dream & Luke | Punz, Clay | Dream & Luke | Punz & Sam | Awesamdude, Clay | Dream & Niki | Nihachu, Clay | Dream & Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Sam | Awesamdude, Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Wilbur Soot, Clay | Dream & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF) & Everyone, Jack Manifold & Niki | Nihachu & Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Ranboo & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Series: Dream Smp Angst [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2183016
Comments: 14
Kudos: 402





	1. A villain's analogy

**Author's Note:**

> This my first 'story', it was originally going to be an oneshot, but now I want to write a whole story. I hope you enjoy it. I'm sorry if there are any mistakes, I am a new writer, haha! Angst is my prime.  
> :)

Cold, rough, purple obsidian boxed him around. It felt as if the walls were caving in on him. The cell was suffocating to him. His sanity was tormented here; so was his will power. Big bad Dream would've already escaped, but his determination ceased his rebellious tendencies. Dream's willpower used to always be ignited, but now the flames had died down after being put in prison. Was he always this regretful? A minuscule part of him wants to escape, but if he did escape, what would be the consequences? Will he forever play the part of the cruel, merciless villain? Did he want to play the part anymore? Letting go of the label allows the other citizens to redeem it which meant his goals would be ruined. The goal of bringing everyone to the server together. If everyone had the same goal, they would all have to come along to complete it, but why did it not work for them? Getting rid of the biggest tyrant had only caused more conflict; it did cease the chaos he caused. But now issues that glazed over have come unhinged; they flooded everyone with pain.

__  
Dream was stupid to think playing the part of a chaotic villain could gather all the individuals in the server together and become united. Being the villain meant you will have to be slain by the 'brave', 'strong', hero. Protagonists were always with black-and-white morals, while villains were trapped with grey morals. In movies, everything is focused on the protagonist, so that we don't even understand the villain's behaviour sometimes. Villains should be helped so that they could become better instead of being a prisoner in dehumanizing places. The beast is always dead at the end of the story. They are killed by the protagonist. The story always ends with the main character winning. But why?

Main characters have friends who they would for, but villains are always lonely. Pushing aside their family was a requirement to become the greatest antagonists. People will go so low to attack innocents who have any sort of attachment to the beast. Heroes turn to a monster's attachment so that they could have any sort of leverage. Who would be so low to use family and friends to have an advantage? Heroes. But why are their faults so dismissed? To complete their own goal, they'll eliminate someone's dreams! In the end, it is okay, right?  
Villains are always cruel, wicked beings that have no good in their heart. Although we don't know them personally, they are apathetic and heartless creatures. They don't care nor love. They ignore and hate others. Villains are monsters, not humans. Heroes are perfect human beings. Those beings love and sympathize all well except villains. Villains are the root of all evil.

__  
Dream could never understand why people use him as the reason for all the problems on the server. Isn't it stupid to blame everything on a single person? Yes, he did malicious things, but why was he at fault when someone else on the server stirs trouble? His questions will always continue unanswered because no one would willingly talk to him about it. Talking to him is a curse (since he is Dream). But he rather preferred to think that no one is ready for a conversation about using him as a scapegoat.

Sometimes his thoughts scream self-pity. Dream felt that he was dismissing all the bad things he had done. He was regretful about what he had done, but not sorry. Due to his actions, new sparks were created in the server, more people formed companionship.

“Within evil, good blooms...” he muttered to himself as he tried remembering the morals engraved in his head. In his head, he could vividly recount all the advice and morals he was taught as a kid. Pieces of his memory were fogged up for some reason. It was strange for him to forget anything. Maybe it's just a side effect of being trapped in a small box for weeks! All the memories of his past attachments are fading; he couldn't be bothered trying to reinforce them. Memories mean nothing to him anymore.

__

His thoughts and memories never stayed still, they keep flickering in his head when he daydreams. Some of them are distorted, so he draws them to clear it up. Those drawings were freaky and difficult to comprehend. Dream notes all the nightmares he has as well, since they usually have some hidden meaning to it. Sleeping had tucked him into a whole mess of ambiguity, so barely slept. It was something he was used to by living on the edge constantly. Living on the edge meant he had to be ready to run and behave like a stray cat. He wasn't living -- instead, he was surviving on the edge. Surviving was a difficult thing for him to be accustomed to.

After creating the SMP, he still couldn't live in peace and be settled in. By just having property there doesn't mean settlement —settlement means to feel safe living there for an eternity. Dream never felt that he was always tense, even in his own home. Being constantly unsafe on the mainland, he had to create a (well-secured) house in a distant land. Making the entire server his enemy caused him to sleep with one eye open. His own home became a danger to him. Enemies turned everything he once owned into ruins. But who could blame them? If he were them, he would do it too.

Dream had lost his home years ago, so he created the Dream SMP. He grew attached when he didn't want to be. Attachment is a sign of weakness, but he couldn't care less. And then it all plummeted. Everything went downhill. His past chased him while the future preyed on him. It all got too loud. How did it all change?

__  
Why? Why? Why?  
How? How? How?

Was he the puppeteer of the downfall? Was he the reason? No — no, no — he can't be the reason, can he? Hands shaking, sweat beads forming, he observed his reflection on the precious clock. Who was the man in the reflection? Was that him? It can't be, it can't be, but it is him. He doesn't look like himself anymore. The reflection was a stranger.  
Dainty fingers brushed the reflection. Dream was no longer him; he had changed. Changed by chaos and time!

'I am no longer me and I hate it!' thought Dream as he rocked back and forth to create some sort of distraction.  
With thoughts popping up everywhere, he banged his hand on the walls like a distressed child. Panic was bubbling up, which tore composure like a thin sheet of ice. That was rare. Being tranquil was his forte. The keyword being was. Currently, he is on the verge of slamming his head into the obsidian until unconsciousness cradles him. Senses were over flooded, he didn’t feel real anymore.

The intimidating walls were caving in on him, his breaths were ragged, and his shoulders were slumped. Nausea clawed its way up. God, what is happening! All his memories played on loop nonstop. It gave him a headache.  
All the traumatic experiences that he built over was spilling like a leaky pipe.

Dream wanted to close his eyes and let the pain wash away, but that would be impossible. Brushing your problems will only fill your plate when you least expect it — he should’ve dealt with problems than being an ignorant idiot. Ignorance is a bliss or misery — it depends on the context. With his situation, being ignorant only made him more overwhelmed.

__

He put his head in between his knees and cried out, “I’m sorry for all the pain and tyranny I have caused!” Guilt and regret swarmed his head, it buzzed quite often, but today it was deafening. Was Dream going crazy or what!? Clamming his ears with shaky hands, he tried to calm down and take deep breaths. Instead, sobs and tears threatened to spill, which he learned from his past friends that it made him weak, so he refused to allow them to slip up.

Tears make you weak, so stop crying. Dream, you are better than this, so stop it.

His chest now heaved up and down gently, however, if you observed closely you could see the little rattles. The nails digging into his skin. The veins casting in his neck. He leaned on the wall and let the noises of lava boiling restore peace in his head. The sound usually made him anxious — tense — uncomfortable, but things change like the tides and ocean. It has now become a salty melody that lulled his mind into silence. Although it was relaxing, a fragment of him yearned to jump into the glowing and burning substance. He could practically imagine the satisfying ripple of disruption, it would encase like a warm blanket of affection. It would smother him with warmth —and scars—, it would protect him from enemies. Meaning he could finally relax like an ordinary human! Lava is truly perfect and it felt homely.

__  
He shifted, since the lava was calling him to go closer, so why wouldn’t he go? Dream waddled his way to it, the light-emitting was truly astonishing. It was like a deep sunset that Dream hasn’t seen for a while. The Last time he saw one was when he was guarding the barriers with the Dream Team.

George and Sapnap were arguing about taking up space whilst he chuckled at their antics — they were acting like kids again! Bad tried to split them up but gave up immediately and decided to sit up on the wall with Dream. Then, Ant called out the mesmerizing sunset and the group huddled in to observe it peacefully.

Would the lava take him back to being with them? Would things return to normal if he jumped in? Making up his mind within seconds, he struck his dainty hand into the lava—

> _~~(Hoping to be at peace once more.)~~ _


	2. A figure of the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lava's chant, as drowned as the figure, snapped Dream back to reality.
> 
> An ex-friend comes along and brings along unwanted memories that he glazed over. Memories of the past he lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the very slow update, I was very overwhelmed by the support. I genuinely didn't think people would enjoy this, so thank you so much. I hope you do enjoy this chapter; it's more like a filler chapter. I'm sorry if there are any grammar mistakes, I didn't proofread this haha. 
> 
> The dialogue is pretty bad, since it's one of my weak points regarding writing. 
> 
> Hope you guys have been well! :)

Inches away from the lava that was soon to be his home. Burns littered on his skin, yet there was a bright smile on his chapped lips. He's finally going to be at peace and he no longer needs to be alone. The lava will love him more than his mother, his father, his self-proclaimed brother, and himself. The prisoner's broken mind was full of fantasies that he failed to notice the lava draining. The drawbridge neared the main cell with a tall, lanky, and figure.

The figure was dressed in a lustrous gloomy robe that ended at the knees, scarlet strips of woven went with it.

If you look thoroughly, shredded horns were fired out of charcoal, dishevelled hair. Coming closer, the demon could now be identified as BadBoyHalo. Shoulders tensed, the prisoner was in shock that the man would even be here. Why would he even visit this villain, there is no denying that he is a monster, so why?

“Dream you muffin, what were you thinking!” Yelled out Bad, who was frantically pushing the man away from the edge.

Snapped back into reality, he quirked his slit eyebrows and then asked, “B-Bad...what? How are you here? Why are you here?”

“I am now a guard at the prison, Sam chose me and Antfrost to be one. I checked the cameras and I see you stepping into the lava, so I came here! Anyways, enough about me, what were you trying to do, Dream?”

The emphasis on his name sent shivers down his spine, and it racked up goosebumps. Why was he even scared? This was the man who used muffin as a replacement for swear words.

“The lava was calling for me, it chanted for me to jump in...”

Bad narrowed his eyes at his ex-friend; how can an inanimate object call for him? His instinct told him that the prison was breaking his friend's mind, and he should take the man out of the place. However, he knew the prisoner deserved it and that he shouldn't pity a villain (who used to be his best friend). The guard was torn, whether he should be a decent human being or put on the facade that was required from a guard. What could even get out of comforting this man? A new member for the Eggpire? Should he really give the unstable man a false sense of hope? Bad took a deep breath.

“Dream, why don’t we talk for a while? We haven’t caught up for a long time, it’s been almost a month since I last visited you!” His voice was sickly sweet, like honey.

Dream vigorously nodded. He was finally going to get some sort of human interaction and attention, which spread a large grin on his face. The man enthusiastically dragged the guard to his secret book stash, where he wrote fictional stories about his friends. He didn’t want to really talk right now and instead yearned to use this time to increase his self-esteem.  
Flipping through each book to show Bad, he was practically a child showing off to their parents (which he never got a chance to do). The demon repeatedly clapped at his childish tales and praised him in his seraphic dad voice. It lit up a genuine smile when his friends praised him since they appreciated him. Praises were things that made the man’s heart and mind fuzzy and warm, also it made him worth something.

> Since the start of the war, his friends have scarcely complimented him, but it was understandable that there were far more important things. Dream had found it difficult to maintain his mind when he sought validation from others whose hands were filled with problems that he started for fun. Fun meaning what he determined was right, but lord, he had to hurt everyone in the process. The prisoner was determined to save everyone from all the chaos 一 instead, he caused it to increase. But now look at that fool who got himself stuck in this dehumanizing cell where he is treated as a feral animal. Haha. This cell will truly be a deterrent to heinous acts.

* * *

Would he really change in this ruthless cage? Would he feel any sympathy for the heroes he had jeopardized?

His questions will be left blank because only time will tell.

The prisoner couldn’t stop the ringing of what he had done, even though he promised himself that he didn’t care ~~(which ended up like a false promise).~~

His mind was infected with so much regret and guilt, but he couldn’t identify it as he never felt it before. Stirring up chaos with no second thoughts was much easier when he had no attachments. Now comprehending the small attachments that were concealed in the cracks burst open, he had started overthinking his plans. Could have he picked an easier path to lead his land?

* * *

“-you muffin, are you okay? You’ve been staring at the clock for a long time!” asked Bad, concerned, who was shaking the dazed Dream.

“Sorry, I was just daydreaming as usual. So did you enjoy my stories?” replied Dream, whilst shaking his thoughts away. He wasn’t going to let his stupid thoughts stop his road to reinforcing his shattered friendships.

.“I loved it so much, my favourite one was ‘The village that went mad’, poor Cornelius and his little family.” Bad grabbed a dusty book from the chest and held it close to his torso like a baby.

Dream froze like a deer caught in front of headlights— when did he even write about him? “Cornelius… what happened to him again? My memory is not the best currently.” Lying straight through his teeth.

“There was once a great man called Cornelius-” started Bad with a sympathetic expression.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please give me some validation and tell me you've enjoyed it. It gives me the energy to keep writing. 
> 
> I might start a one-shot book, but I'll keep updating this because I want to test out my writing skills. 
> 
> Who is your favourite DreamSmp villain? My personal favourite is, of course, Dream, because of chaos and he plays it well. The character is such a mystery.
> 
> (Spare some kudos if you want to, though. )
> 
> This chapter is pretty low-effort on my behalf, sorry.
> 
> My theories:  
> I think Bad might break Dream out of jail or try to convert him to the eggpire. -I am glad that the egg is finally getting the attention it deserves!
> 
> What are your personal theories of the DreamSmp?

**Author's Note:**

> I hope the guy gets a redemption arc one day because we have seen significant positive growth in the other character. He is such a complicated character and people seem to overlook that. :-)
> 
> Dream apologist here? /hj (half-joking)
> 
> More like Dream sympathiser/ enthusiast


End file.
